The MoU was signed on Sunday during a visit by a delegation from Fars Province to Surkhandarya, led by Governor Hossein Ali Amiri.

According to Ahad Behjat Haghighi, the acting head of Fars Agriculture Department and a member of the delegation, parts of Surkhandarya’s farmland will be used to produce forage crops—particularly corn fodder—to help Fars Province supply feed for livestock, as part of efforts to bolster Iran’s food security.

The overseas cultivation initiative also aims to reduce pressure on Fars’ water resources, he added. At the same time, it allows the province to grow agricultural crops needed by Uzbekistan while creating opportunities for new economic cooperation between Fars and the Central Asian country, the official said.

“Transboundary agriculture is no longer just an option; it has become a strategic necessity to ensure the country’s food security and ease the burden on domestic natural resources,” Haqiqi noted.

The Iranian delegation arrived in Uzbekistan on Wednesday evening and will conclude its visit on Sunday. During the trip, they held meetings with local officials in Surkhandarya and signed another agreement to enhance cooperation in economic, investment, cultural, social, and tourism fields, among others.

The agreement was signed by Fars Governor Hossein Ali Amiri and Surkhandarya Governor Ulugbek Qosimov. Both sides also agreed to establish a committee to oversee the implementation of their agreements and facilitate the presence of Iran’s private sector in Termez, the provincial capital of Surkhandarya.